1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a construction for mounting a service hole blank cap of a console box. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in a construction for mounting a service hole blank cap of a console box, wherein a portion of a slit through which a hand brake lever penetrates is made to be a service hole with a peripheral rim, the undersurface of the blank cap abutting against the top surface of the rim of the service hole, and an engaging pawl or pawls of an engaging piece or pieces formed on the underside of the blank cap engaging the undersurface of the rim of the service hole, to thereby mount the blank cap.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The conventional console box for a motor vehicle has a construction for receiving therein a proximal portion of a hand brake lever and covering a brake cable adjusting section connected to the proximal portion. Since the brake cable adjusting section is covered by the console box, it is troublesome to remove the console box as a whole to adjust the brake cable, whereby the adjusting operation is made more difficult and cumbersome.
In contrast thereto, as in Japanese Utility Model Kokai (Laid-Open) No. 168,447/1980, there is disclosed a console box for a motor vehicle with a service hole having a size sufficient for a repairman's hand to reach the brake cable adjusting section. The service hole is formed at a portion of the top surface of the console box and a blank cap is detachably mounted to this service hole.
However, in the console box of the type described, the blank cap is mounted to the service hole such that a plurality of engaging pieces integrally formed on the undersurface of the blank cap are engagingly fixed to the rim of the service hole. In consequence, since the blank cap is mounted to the service hole by mere fixing through use of the engaging pieces, the arrangement has the disadvantage that the blank cap is movable back and forth from side to side in the service hole, thereby creating rattling or vibrational noises.
Furthermore, there is proposed an arrangement in which the service hole is formed contiguous to the forward end of a slit through which the hand brake lever penetrates. In this case, since the rear end edge of the blank cap does not engage the top surface of the console box, the drawback is presented that the blank cap tends to be shifted rearward.
Furthermore, when a portion of slit through which the hand brake lever penetrates is formed to provide the service hole as described above, if the blank cap blocking the service hole is pressed from above, then the opposite end edge of the slit in the widthwise direction thereof tends to be fixed, so that the slit is flared and the blank cap falls into the service hole.
Additionally, when the portion of the slit through which the hand brake lever penetrates is formed to provide the service hole as described above, when the blank cap blocking the service hole is removed, it should be natural that a force applied to a rear end portion of the blank cap raises the blank cap upward. Preferably, the force is applied by insertion of a repairman's finger or tool to the rear end portion.
For example, it is proposed that a projection or the like be provided for restricting the longitudinal movement of the blank cap. The projection is formed at the forward end portion of the blank cap in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and engaged with a recess or a hole formed on the rim of the service hole. In this case, if the blank cap is raised from the rear end portion thereof so that the blank cap rocks or pivots about its forward end portion, a disadvantage is presented such that the projection or the like, which has been engaged with the recess or the hole, tends to be broken.